Bundoran, Eire

www.bundorangolfclub.com

Blue tees par 70, SSS 70, 5729 yards
Red tees par 73, SSS 73, 5116 yards

Bundoran is a seaside town in Co Donegal in Eire which became popular when railways were built in the late 19th century to bring people from the towns to the seaside.  A large hotel, the Great Northern Hotel, which remains today was built in 1894 and a 9 hole golf course constructed in the land around it.  It was initially designed by a Scot, GL Baillie, and then extended to 18 holes in 1904.  Harry Vardon, the legendary golfer who won the Open six times, redesigned the course in 1927.  Another famous name linked with the course is that of Christy O'Connor who was the professional from 1951 to 1957.

The 5th green

Despite this illustrious history and despite the warm welcome we have come to expect in Ireland this course was a disappointment for our last of this Irish trip.  Bundoran is not quite a true links as it lies partly on a clifftop and the fairways do not run fast and hard.  The first nine especially had a number of weak holes such as the par 4 4th and 5th and the ninth which runs steeply downhill to the rather unattractive rear of the hotel.  The second nine was a little more 'linksy' especially on the 11th which runs along Donegal Bay and from which we could see the perfect place to build a links course amongst lovely unspoilt dunes!  The course was worn and appears to have been overplayed perhaps because it is so reasonably priced.

The view from the 11th green over Donegal Bay

Worth playing?  Not if you are expecting a links course of the quality to be found around this area.

Strandhill,Eire

 www.strandhillgolfclub.com

White tees par 70 SSS 70
Red tees par 72 SSS 72

A chilly morning!

From the moment of arrival at the clubhouse Strandhill golf course is spread out in front of the observer and it is clear that this is a proper links course.  Views of the sea, dunes and typical crumpled fairways stretch across the landscape.

The view towards Knocknarea from the 5th tee

Strandhill lies on a promontory which juts out into Ballisodare Bay on the west coast of Eire just north of the town of Sligo.  It has two aspects overlooking the sea at Cullinmore bay and Strandhill Beach.  It is overlooked by Knocknarea, a large limestone hill topped by a cairn which is thought to date from 3000BC and is reputed to contain the grave of the mythical Queen Maeve.  A huge sand dune dominates the view to the west. Strandhill was opened in 1931 as a 9 hole course designed and laid out by the members using a horse and plough and the natural contours of the linksland.  It was redesigned in 1939 by John McAlister, still as a 9 hole course.  It wasn't until 1973 that the course was extended to 18 holes and it was subsequently redesigned, again with the input of some members.

The 7th hole from the green. 
The tee is half way up the dune in the distance

The first hole lies on the side of a hill making it difficult to hold the fairway from a drive and the sloping green from the second shot.  The next three holes. a par 3 and two short but testing par 4s, run alongside the beautiful Cullinmore Strand,  The fifth is a par 5 whose fairway is the epitome of a links course with wonderful humps and bumps leading to a sunken green.  The 6th hole crosses over to Strandhill beach which lies along the left of the par 4 7th with its tee set into the large dune giving a panoramic view of the famous surfers' beach.  After four less dramatic holes the course then turns into the dunes and some fun and quirky holes.  At the 13th local knowledge must be useful to aid in deciding how much of the dune to cut off with the drive and how to negotiate the very narrow entrance to the green.  The 14th is a lovely par 3 which requires a very accurate shot to the green and the uphill doglegging 15th with its fairway at right angles to the drive and plateau green will test the best.  Some relief is offered by the gently curving downhill 16th and the par 3 17th until the sting in the tail - the difficult uphill, right doglegging 18th with thick rough and dunes on the left, out of bounds on the right and a tricky sloping elevated green.

The narrow entrance to the 13th

Worth playing?  Definitely - a lovely course overshadowed by its bigger near neighbours.

Scurmore, Enniscrone, Eire

www.enniscronegolf.com/

White tees par 72 SSS 72
Red tees par 72 SSS 70




The view from the 6th tee

Scurmore is the nine hole course alongside the Dunes course at Enniscrone which was designed by a combination of Eddie Hackett and Donald Steel.  It is a bit of an anti-climax after playing the Dunes course as it lies mainly along the flat ground inland and lacks sea views.  The first few holes are fairly featureless barring a few water hazards with the best saved for last.  The 6th tee is elevated and requires a drive over daunting rough.  The 7th is an uphill par 3 with trouble on the left (thick rough) and the right (a deep grassy hollow) for the errant drive.  The 8th descends to the flatter land with a drive over shaggy dunes onto a fairway at right angles to the line.  Unfortunately the ladies' tee is completely blind to the fairway as it is set too low amongst the dunes making it a bit if a 'hit and hope'.  The greens were hard and fast but the fairways were lusher than expected for a links course.



The 7th hole climbs into the dunes.  The flag can just be seen on the horizon

Worth playing?  Only as a bit of light relief after playing the big course,

Enniscrone Dunes, Eire

www.enniscronegolf.com

White tees par 73 SSS 73
Red tees par 73 SSS 73



Golf started in Enniscrone at the end of the first World War but the first written record was in 1922 when the local newspaper announced that medal competitions were being played at Enniscrone Golf Links but it was not until 1930 that nine holes were laid out and the course was formally opened a year later when the annual membership fee was £1.  During and after the second World War the
fortunes of the club foundered and it wasn't until the late 1950s that the club revived because of an influx of labour into the area.  In 1974 a new 18 hole course designed by Eddie Hackett, the great Irish golf course designer, was opened.  Donald Steel was commissioned in 1999 and added six new holes in the dunes to the main course and three more on the flat land to make the smaller Scurmore course and these were opened in 2001.



The second shot at the 1st hole enters the dunes

Enniscrone Dunes can be summed up as towering dunes, tight lines, difficult greens and a number of blind shots.  This is definitely a course which rewards the straight hitter as even a shot slightly off line will be punished with heavy rough at most of the holes.  We were lucky to play it on a day with little wind - add strong winds and it must be almost impossible.

The tenth hole is in the flat section of the course

After the first drive along flat land the hole doglegs into the dunes with the green, like many, cut into the slopes.  The next three holes wind between the dunes and are picturesque but tricky.  The course then opens out onto flatter land which is the weakest part of the course but has some Eddie Hackett holes with interesting green complexes.  The ninth and tenth run along Scurmore beach and then the next ascent into the dunes begins.  The next stretch is particularly attractive starting with a lovely par 3 with a two tier green.  The 13th is a short par 4 with a blind shot from the tee with an unusual traffic light system which lets the golfer know when to play. 

The fourteenth hole from behind the green
The Knoc na gCorp dune can be seen in the background

The 14th ('Valley of Diamonds') is a tough par 5 with a double dogleg up to a green nestled in the dunes.  It is dominated by the Knoc na gCorp (or Hill of the Dead) dune on the left which legends says was formed by the locals piling up bodies of defeated Viking raiders!  The next three holes follow the Atlantic Ocean with the 15th a difficult par 4 with the green cut into the side of the dunes - anything short or right ends up in a deep swale.  The 17th is a delightful par 3 only marred by an ugly caravan park behind the green.


The view from behind the 16th green, a most attractive par 5

Worth playing?  Yes for the beauty of the dunes but only if you don't mind blind shots and tight lines.

Bomore, County Sligo, Eire

www.countysligogolfclub.ie

White tees par 70 SSS 69
Red tees par 70 SSS 70






Bomore is the 'little brother' of the Championship course at County Sligo.  It is a nine hole course deigned by Jonathan Tucker which was opened in 1999.  Its character is quite different from the Championship course and reminded us of Strathtyrum in St Andrews.  It is flatter than its bigger brother with more gorse and a number of holes with strategically placed water hazards but no sea views.  The round started well with a sighting of a peregrine falcon being mobbed by a crow at the first tee.  The greens were excellent and the fairways similar to those on the Championship course, a bit softer than usual for a links course.  The par 5 5th, said by some to be the best par 5 in the 27 holes at County Sligo is the most memorable on the Bomore, a gentle dogleg from right to left with water on the left and also across the fairway short of the green.

Worth a visit?  Yes.  A relaxing round after the tough challenge of the morning!

Bomore with Ben Ghulbain, Ireland's 'Table Mountain' in the background

Championship Course, The County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point, Eire

www.countysligogolfclub.ie

White tees par 71 SSS 71
Red tees par 74 SSS 74







Looking down the 12th hole

This is a beautiful scenic area of Eire and when a championship golf course is added to the equation it becomes close to paradise.  County Sligo is situated on the west coast of Eire on a promontory called Rosses Point which guards the entrance to Sligo Harbour on its northerly side.  Overlooking Drumcliff Bay on the west and overlooked from the north-east by Ben Ghulbain (Benbulben), the 'table mountain' of Ireland, its situation is stunning.  We played on a calm sunny September day with our son William who joined us from London.  The welcome we had at this club was exceptional and easily the friendliest we have experienced.



The view from the 13th tee

County Sligo started in 1894 as a nine hole course designed by George Combe and was extended by Willie Campbell at the turn of the century to an 18 hole course.  Remodelled by Harry Colt in 1927 to its current layout it is a great test of golf with its undulations, height changes, plateau greens, swales, burns, punishing rough and challenging bunkers. The greens were fast and true but the fairways were a little lusher than normal for a links course because of a rather wet summer.  The third is a lovely downhill par 5 with fantastic views from the tee.  The par three 4th is reminiscent of the Redan at North Berwick with its plateau green sloping from right to left and front to back.  The second nine is particularly good with a string of good holes with superb views of the bay and beaches such as the lovely undulating downhill par 5 12th and the tricky par 3 13th with a green sloping from front to back and water lying in wait for the unwary.  The 17th is a tough par 4 for men and 5 for ladies with a dogleg from right to left to an elevated green.  According to one of the members who we met in the bar after our round the Championship course is three sixes rather than two nines - the first six are easy, the second six change direction, causing trouble with the wind and the third six are a b*****d!




The 17th with its elevated green

Worth a visit?  This course is a joy and with the scenery and warm welcome is not to be missed.



Monifieth Golf Links (Medal), Scotland

www.monifiethgolf.co.uk

White tees  par SSS 72
Red tees    par 73 SSS 7

Monifieth golf links has been in existence officially since 1845 when it was laid out as a nine hole course and played by Panmure Golf Club which later moved to their own course which is also a true links course.  However a summons was issued in Monifieth to Robert Morome in 1639 for playing golf on a Sunday although it is not known where he played.  Between 1845 and 1871 the 9 holes were reduced to 6 increased to 10 and reduced again to 9.  Finally in 1880 the course was extended to 18 holes then lengthened and remodelled in 1898.  Despite changes over the next century the first nine are substantially the same as in 1898.

A sliced shot may encounter a train on the first few holes

We played Monifieth medal course on a sunny but breezy September day in their open mixed greensomes with Marie Vanderpeear and Ian Kerr who coincidentally are members at my home course, Murrayfield.  The course reminded us of Buddon Links(10th August 2014)) and Burnside (23rd May 2015) at Carnoustie - an unpretentious course but a good test of golf.

The first six holes run with the prevailing wind parallel to the Firth of Tay although there are no views of the water from the course as the main Aberdeen to Edinburgh railway line lies between the two.  The first four holes are par 4s for men with two of them being par 5s for ladies and have undulating fairways through shallow dunes.  The fourth is particularly memorable as its long narrow green is guarded by tall dunes on either side and requires an accurate shot into the tight entrance to the green.  The par threes (5th, 11th and 14th) are testing with well bunkered green complexes.  The 8th is a short par 4, driveable by long hitters and a definite birdie chance.  The second nine meanders to and fro until the 16th when you turn for home with three challenging holes.  The outstanding feature of the Medal course is the quality of the greens - hard, fast and perfectly true.

A view from the fairway to the 13th green

Worth playing?  Yes.  It is a fair and challenging test for the club golfer.